Chronicles of the Killer Angels
by Nes Mikel
Summary: AU fic. What if Manta aspired to become a Shaman in the beginning? This is the story of him and his friends, the chronicle of the Killer Angels. Discontinued.
1. The Boy Who Dances with Ghosts

**__**

"Chronicles of the Killer Angels"

By Nes Mikel

Acknowledgment;

Standard Disclaimers apply. You know what I'm talking about. Note that this fanfic is based on the manga, not on the anime, so some parts might be different from what you know from the story of the Shaman King or somewhat differently translated. I have never seen the anime, but I do own 25 volumes of Hiroyuki Takei Sensei's manga. Own, as in, purchase, by the way. Don't sue me. Please.

__

"He who overcomes will be dressed in white, and I will not take his name from the book of life; and I will give witness to his name before my Father, and before his Angels." - Revelations 3:5

****

Chapter I; "The Boy Who Dances with Ghosts"

I, Manta Oyamada, never liked running. Whenever I was in a competition, I always finished dead last. That alone was a good enough reason to not like running, but in my mind I could figure out many other reasons to loathe running. 

I mean, what exactly do you get out of it? Exercise? Ha, give me a break. No, really. Give me a break. Running is tiring. It's exhausting. In my self-proclaimed rational mind, running was like torturing yourself. Even if you do get healthy in the end, running is no good if you can't beat other people. And I can't. Being 80cm had so many disadvantages it made my head hurt. Like having short legs, for instance. Even if I was moving my legs as fast as the fastest man in the 100m races, I would still finish last. Having short legs meant shorter stepping distance. Argh, I hated my body. Curse genetics.

But now, I was running. What for? I was late for the last train. Stupid cram school. Why did that teacher always had to pick on me to do the cleanup? I added another reason to my long list of reasons on why I hated my height. But I hastily pushed that annoying thought aside as I tried to sprint as fast as I could. I had to make that train. Walking home wasn't exactly the most appealing idea to go home. Especially so if it took you three hours.

I checked my watch. Damn. 12:09. The last train departed at 12:32. And unlike the other trains that would usually arrive late, this one always comes strangely early. Oh, I still remember the bitter days when I found out that fact the hard way… This wasn't looking good at all. I still had to run a few kilometers.

It was precisely at that moment I noticed a graveyard to my right. An idea started to form in my head. If I remembered the town's layout correctly, if I cut through the graveyard the train station was just a half a kilometer away. The route wasn't all that preferable, however. I mean, wouldn't you try to avoid cutting through a creepy graveyard with a "Do Not Enter" sign on the fence in the middle of the night? But it seemed better than to walk for three hours just to get to my house and probably face a scolding from mother. So I threw my bags over the fence and tried to climb over when a voice suddenly called out to me.

"Hey, you there… why are you in such a hurry?"

I freaked out. Slightly panicking, I searched for the source of the voice. And when I found it, I almost didn't believe the sight I was seeing. It was a boy. He didn't look that much older nor younger than I, although he had normal height. He wore baggy jeans and bathroom sandals, a very loose white shirt, and headphones around his head. But what freaked me out the most was the fact that he was sitting on top of a gravestone, staring at the sky with a blank look on the face.

Who was he? What was he doing at this hour at this place all by himself?

My mind raced to compute an answer, and I didn't like the conclusion it gave me.

Was he a ghost?

My watch beeped. I was sort of relieved that the watch took my mind off the insane possibility of the boy being a ghost, but what I saw on the watch made me panic even more than I had when the boy called out to me. It was already 12:25.

"Oh no!" I shouted. "I shouldn't have been thinking something stupid like that! I wanted to catch some TV before I go to sleep!"

I gathered up my bags that were still lying on the floor and proceeded to run past the strange boy. But then he spoke again.

"I told you to wait."

I froze. What did he want with me? He continued to speak. "You can see the stars so clearly today. Why don't you come join me over here and watch it with everyone?"

What was he talking about? "Stars?" I replied. "What will you get from watching stars anyway? Besides, your grammar's all messed up. You don't say everyone when there are just two people…"

He jumped off the gravestone and smiled at me. "No, I meant everyone..."

Suddenly, I felt a chill up my spine. Was there a cold breeze cutting through the graveyard? I looked at the boy thinking he was insane. Then, I saw something.

"Everyone of this grave!" The boy finished his sentence. And, as if on cue, numerous… ghosts… appeared besides him! In my mind, I repeated over and over again that I refused to believe the sight I was seeing… even through my eyes were nearly bulging out of my sockets at this point.

"Ah, don't be so surprised." The boy continued, as if what was happening seemed to the most normal thing in the world. My eyes continued to bulge out even more as I saw him join shoulders with two ghosts that were by his side. "These are my friends! Heh, although they're all good for nothing souls that don't want to go to heaven." 

Then he finally noticed the unnatural facial expression I had been wearing the whole time. "Hm, what's wrong?"

I screamed.

***

The next day, I went around the school telling everyone I knew of the incident that happened last night.

"I swear I saw it!" I found myself yelling at the top of my lungs. "At that graveyard! There were ghosts! And they were looking at the stars! Believe me, I even doubted it myself! But I…"

"Pfft, Manta." A boy in my class cut me off. "I seriously doubt you head now."

"What!?" I shouted back.

"You, of all people, should know that ghosts don't exist." The boy continued.

"You probably thought you saw it, but probably saw something else." A girl pitched in.

"Heh, did you screw your brain up by studying too much?" Another boy chimed into the conversation.

"No, no, no." The boy who I was talking to first spoke up. "He's possessed by ghosts!"

Laughter erupted in the classroom. Never before had I felt so embarrassed before in my life! I was about to shout a rebuttal back at him when the teacher entered the classroom. "Hey, hey, it's getting too noisy in here. Oyamada, shut it. We're gonna begin homeroom so go back to your seats."

Grumbling, I stubbornly went back to my assigned seat. The teacher was saying something in front of the room but I hardly paid attention to conversation that was taking place. All I heard was something about a new transfer student coming into our class. But, geez! Why did my classmates have to treat me that way? Why didn't they believe me? But if they were indeed true, what was it that I saw yesterday? Was it simply a dream?

The teacher was still saying something in the front. "…And so, here's the new transfer student, Yoh Asakura. He came all the way from Izumo by himself due to family matters. So I would like you guys to show him around the school and try to be friendly… hm?"

The teacher was looking at me, I realized. No wonder, especially if I had my mouth hanging open so wide it was most likely physically impossible.

"What is it Oyamada?" The teacher asked. "Your face is all weird." 

"It's…."

"It's what?"

__

"IT'S HIM!" I pointed an accusing finger at the new transfer student whom I was sure was the boy I saw yesterday. "Everyone! This is the guy I was talking about! That ghost boy!"

"G-Ghost boy?" Murmurs traveled through the classroom like wildfire. The accused boy seemed unfazed at all this however. He simply scratched his head.

"Pft, ghosts don't exist." The transfer student said. "Who are you anyway?"

I hardly believed my ears now. _"WHAT!?"_

Laughter erupted around the classroom once again. If my blood could have boiled, I didn't doubt a single moment that it would've done so now. So, the cat was out of the bag then. I was now officially confused.

*** 

"C'mon, Manta. Get it over already." A classmate was trying to cheer me up. "The transfer student says he doesn't know you, so the thing you might have saw yesterday was some other…"

__

"NO." I spat out the words with the most venom I could. "I'm certain! He's just pretending! So I was going to ask him why he was doing that… but…"

I pointed a finger at the transfer student. _"WHY IS HE SLEEPING ON HIS FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL!? IS HE MAKING FUN OF ME!?"_

The noise didn't seem to bother the transfer student at all, however, as he continued to sleep peacefully at his desk. This only fueled my rage even further.

"Geez, calm down. You're too loud." The classmate besides me said.

"Well, I'll admit that he's a little weird." A girl next to the classmate spoke.

"But it's nothing to get you screaming at and all." Another boy finished the sentence.

"That's right. And Manta," the classmate besides me was saying. "That graveyard is rumored to be the gathering place of those delinquents of _that_ Bansho High School. It's highly possible that under these circumstances that transfer student could be a member of the gang."

I gulped. The classmate shrugged slightly as he stood up. He was leaving. "So just don't bother with people who you don't know."

"Yeah, that's right." An agreeing voice sounded next to me. "Well, I need to study for the test next week. See ya later, Manta."

I appreciated their advises. However, I still was determined to find out who he was. I was now on a mission to reveal his identify, and I intended to carry it out. But how was I going to carry it out? I thought it over with my mind, and a conclusion was drawn soon enough. I know! I could tail him when the school bell rung. I evilly eyed the sleeping transfer student. Just you wait! I'll make you regret that you showed your sleeping face in school! And besides… _don't come to school with bathroom sandals! _I screamed inwardly.

The bell rung.

***

I checked my watch. Three hours. I looked straight ahead. There, standing in the middle of a bridge that crossed a small river, staring at no where in particular was that transfer student Yoh Asakura. For three hours he had stared, and stared, and stared. Ever since he got out of school he went straight to the bridge and just stared. Dammit! Exactly how long is he going to stay there and stay spaced out!? He was wasting my time! Exactly what was so interesting about river that makes him look at it for such a long time without moving at all!?

As if on cue, however, the Asakura boy finally showed some movement. He was taking in a deep breath, and out. "Ahh, being one with nature feels so good~!" I heard him say.

I couldn't resist. _"WHAT!?"_

"Hm?"

Oh great. He just saw me.

"Ah, you're that…" the transfer student was coming my way. "What're you doing here?"

I considered running away, but he didn't seem all that threatening. I gave up. "I was… uh… um… following you. Sorry."

"Huh? What is there to be sorry about?"

"…Um, okay." Talking to him, I found, was strangely difficult. "Well, I followed you, and I think I was suppost to apologize, so I did."

"Ah." He just took it in as if it were perfectly normal.

I explained further. "I followed you because I wanted to know who you were."

"Ah~! Now I see!" He clapped his hands together as if he thought up of a new idea. "I see, so that's why you followed me." He proceeded to walk to the edge of the river and sat down on the grass. "Well, come here. I wanted to talk with you anyway."

"O-Okay…" I nervously followed him. "Aren't you angry?"

"Why should I be? You followed me because I ignored you in school, right?"

"What? So you did know…"

He laughed as if he were rather embarrassed. "Well, I'm just too lazy. I can't afford my secret to be known to everyone and have everyone talk about it."

I took a step back. "A s-secret?"

"Yeah. To tell you the truth, I'm a Shaman who came here to train."

It was as if everything around me suddenly got quieter. "A… a Shaman?" What was a Shaman? What was he? But even more importantly… _wasn't that suppost to be a secret!? Why did he say it as if it were totally natural!?_ But all the boy answered in response was the embarrassed laugh he gave me.

"A Shaman is a person who connects this world with the other world." He stood up and turned to leave. "If you're in trouble, call me. I'll help you in anyway I can." Without turning back, he waved his hand, and disappeared into the afternoon. I was simply left there speechless.

My watch beeped once more.

"Oh no! I'm late for cram school!" I hurriedly gathered my bags as fast as I could and ran as fast as my short legs could possible muster.

Naturally, I was late for cram school. The teacher at that school always shouted at students who were late for his class, and I was no exception. I was forced to hear him lecture about the importance of arriving to class time for 20 minutes in front of the classroom before I was even permitted to sit down. Geez. It was all that transfer student's fault. So what was he anyway, I wondered? A Shaman? A person who connects this world with the other world? What the heck was that? Besides, coming to Tokyo just for the purpose of training wasn't a story you heard around here lately…

I was flipping through a dictionary I always carry around with me when I saw it. The word 'Shaman' was in the dictionary!

-----

**__**

Sha·man (shämn, sh-)  


n. 

A member of certain tribal societies who acts as a medium between the visible world and an invisible spirit world and who practices magic or sorcery for purposes of healing, divination, and control over natural events.

-----

I sighed and closed the dictionary. How suspicious. So, that boy used ghosts to do his bidding for him? If he was a Shaman, like he claimed to be, then he was related to a special group of people who used ghosts and do strange things with them? But ghosts? I mean, it's a modern society now, and many people don't believe in ghosts…

Then an image flashed through my mind – that horrifying picture of that Yoh Asakura smiling next to ghosts in the graveyard. I knew it right then that I couldn't deny the existence of ghosts. I saw them myself. I scratched my head.

"…yamada."

But it was true that I did see them. So he was saying the truth then?

"…Oyamada."

Argh, everything was so confusing. I needed to meet him once more in order to…

__

"MANTA OYAMADA!!"

I didn't realize what the sound meant until it was too late. A chalkboard eraser hit me square in the face and sent me flying backwards for a short distance. Apparently my height wasn't an advantage this time as the object hit me dead on. It took me a few seconds to register that it was the teacher who threw the eraser at me. He looked annoyed. I instantly realized that I hadn't been paying attention to class.

"Can't you even pay attention to your name?" The teacher was grumbling to himself. "If you don't feel like participating why won't you just go home? And you don't have to come here anymore if you want to. We are a school that only houses elite's, understand?"

"S-Sorry mister." I managed to reply.

I was naturally in a bad mood after cram school was finally out. I soon found myself sitting in a set on top of the platform of the Funbarigaoka Station, waiting for the last train. That teacher didn't have to go that far as to hit me with a chalkboard eraser! I was fuming. It was that transfer student's entire fault! Everything had become a mess ever since he entered my life! 

A Shaman? So what! That didn't give him the right to do anything he wished! He probably just always sits wherever he wants and be lazy even if he didn't come to Tokyo in the first place! He probably never studies, listens to his favorite music all the time, and watches the stars and the river without a hint of worry…

I suddenly felt a void opening within me. I had just spoken the things I wished I had in life. And Yoh Asakura held the lifestyle that I had dreamed of always having. Worry-free, care-free, a lifestyle without constrictions, boundaries, and pressure…

But, in order to live in today's society, you couldn't spare any time for things like that. I sighed. I felt empty. A small vibration rocked the station announcing the final train's arrival. I looked up and saw the train's doors open. In my mind, I knew I should have gotten up and get into the train and simply go home, but for some strange reason, my body didn't move. I sat there silently and watched the last train close its doors and leave the Funbarigaoka Station. And somehow, that scene warmed me a bit.

I looked up. The stars were shining brightly. I suddenly wondered if Yoh was at the graveyard again.

***

Big mistake. If I had listened to the warnings about those delinquents of _that_ Bansho High School that my classmate had told me about, I probably would have thought twice before actually considering going to that graveyard. But no, I forgot. All I did was eavesdrop on the conversation the delinquents were having about the legendary samurai Amidamaru that existed 600 years ago, witness the gang leader Bokuto no Ryu smash Amidamaru's gravestone into pieces with a simple wooden sword, then stupidly let myself be discovered and then getting beaten up. Result: broken arm, black eye, and numerous head injuries that will probably affect my grades.

Of course, going to school the next day with those injuries didn't help either. When I explained to my classmates about my injuries, they responded by laughing.

"Geez, Manta, what's with that face! You look so… so… hilarious like that!"

"That's why I told you not to go to that graveyard!"

"But I still can't believe that you actually decided to follow the transfer student back home."

"What happened to you, Manta? You were suppost to be the brains of the class, but all of a sudden you talk about ghosts and now this!"

"Maybe he's actually dumb!"

More laugher followed. I was grinding my teeth and tears were starting to squeeze out from my eyes when a voice suddenly spoke out behind me.

"Ghosts exist."

It was Yoh.

"T-Transfer Student!" All of the other classmates that were making fun of me took a step back. I heard Yoh approach me. I didn't turn around.

"I heard what happened… from the guys at the graveyard." Yoh continued to speak.

"…What guys from the graveyard?" I bitterly replied. "I'm busy. It has nothing to do with you. So just leave me alone…"

"You… you were Manta, right?"

He suddenly grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the classroom. Before I knew it, I was already out of the hallway.

"Alright, let's go get some revenge on them!" Yoh said.

"_WAIT A MOMENT~!" _I protested. "W-Who told you that I wanted help!? Did you even listen to me!? Besides, you don't have any obligation to help me or anything…"

"We're friends, so that's why we help each other." Yoh replied.

I was momentarily dumbfounded. "What?"

"Gramps was always saying, that if people could see ghosts, they can't be bad. So that's why I told you my secret because you saw ghosts accompanying me that night." Yoh was laughing now. "So, we're friends! Everything's gonna be alright!"

"N-No, nothing's alright!" I was almost screaming. "It's not alright! Who would want to be friends with a lazy bum like you! Besides, you know about them, don't you? The enemy is numerous, plus if I understand what you're saying correctly then you're declaring vendetta against _that _infamous Bokuto no Ryu! He's dangerous! Only idiots will try to fight with him! With a physique like yours there's no way you can beat him."

"Yeah, I know, I'm weak!" He said rather delightfully.

"T-Then there's more the reason to…"

"Ah, well, everything's going to be alright."

__

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?"

"Yeah, I am. Besides, that guy uses wooden swords, right? Don't worry!" He turned around slightly and flashed a smile. "We have an ally on our side that's much stronger than him!"

"B-But… _no, I don't understand! Just_ _let go of my hand already~!"_

***

But before I knew it, I was in the graveyard, hanging behind the back of Yoh, in front of the entire Bokuto no Ryu's gang. I tried to get away, but somehow Yoh had found a rope and tied my hands together and hanged me behind his back. I was yelling at Yoh to reconsider what he was doing, but he had already said the words of impeding doom: he just told Bokuto no Ryu's gang to get out of the graveyard. I yelled at him more.

"P-Please, let me go home! I don't wanna die yet! _NOOOO!_"

"What did you just say to me, kid?" I heard Bokuto no Ryu speak. "You just told him to leave here? What's your wish, kid? You want to die!?"

If Yoh had a hole in his back, I would've hid in it. Bokuto no Ryu simply looked _scary_. Veins were popping out of his head!

"Well, not exactly me, Mister." Yoh was saying. "Those people who have already passed away are the ones that are saying that they're bothered by your presence."

I finally managed untie the ropes around my wrist when laughter echoed through the graveyard. The gang was making fun of Yoh's comment.

"Ha- _hahahaha! _Ghosts! Again?"

"Heh, you're an idiot! Ryu-san isn't afraid of ghosts!"

"That's right!" Bokuto no Ryu said calmly as he brushed his excessively horizontal hair. "Why don't you come here and fight like…"

"I have to fight, right?" Yoh said suddenly. "There's already a guy who's been itching to fight you."

I suddenly felt a cool breeze sweep through the graveyard. It was then I noticed a faint figure standing next to Yoh. 

"Isn't that right, Amidamaru?"

It was a ghost of a samurai!

__

"Yoh-dono, I sincerely must thank you for granting this opportunity to redeem myself from the injustices that had been dealt to me!" said the ghost.

"I-Injustices?" I asked, trembling. "D-Does this mean that this ghost is… the owner of that shattered gravestone… _the legendary samurai Amidamaru!?"_

O-Of course! I thought to myself. If a real samurai fought those delinquents, they wouldn't be a match! But…

"Hey, hey, hey… give me a break, willya?" mumbled a angry-looking Bokuto no Ryu. "Don't tell me this is about that piss-poor samurai Amidamaru again?"

That's right! Amidamaru was a ghost! They can't see it, and that means that ghosts have no affect against them! After all, a ghost was still a ghost! What was Yoh going to do!?

"Hey… Spaceshot! Apach!" With Bokuto no Ryu's call, two strong, mean looking members of the gang stepped forward. I feared for the worst to come. "_KILL THEM!_"

They charged.

"_AAAAAAH!_ T-They're coming! They're coming! What are you going to do! If that samurai's just a ghost then it's meaningless!"

But Yoh was laughing. "Ah~ you're loud. All right then, let's show them Amidamaru, exactly what we're capable of…"

__

"Yes, of course!" agreed the ghost of Amidamaru.

"We can be invincible!" With Yoh's shout, the ghost of Amidamaru turned into a spherical shape, a _hitodama_, and rested on the palm of Yoh's hand. I gasped at in at shock, but Yoh was still smiling even through impeding danger was charging at him straight ahead.

"I told you, didn't I Manta?" Yoh calmly reassured me. "A Shaman is a person who connects this world with the other world! Alright, here we go!"

Suddenly, Yoh thrusted Amidamaru's _hitodama_ into himself. The _hitodama_ ball seemed to burst when it came in contact of Yoh's body first, but I noticed that the _hitodama_ ball was _going inside of him!_ Yoh's body jerked sharply for one brief moment, then…

__

"SPIRIT FUSION!" 

The next thing I knew, the two members of Bokuto no Ryu's gang were lying unconscious on the ground, with Yoh standing behind them victorious. Were my eyes deceiving me? Or did Yoh really beat those two guys up with a single swipe from a wooden grave marker? Could it be that… what he said about 'connecting this world with the other world'…

"Heh, heh, heh…" Yoh laughed mysteriously. I shuddered. "There wasn't a convinient weapon nearby, so I had to settle with this. But this is enough for the likes of you." Yoh pointed the wooden grave marker straight at Bokuto no Ryu as if he were intimidating him. "You're next. Are you ready to meet your fate?"

I stole a quick glance at Bokuto no Ryu. He seemed to be… hesitating?

"What's the matter, kid? You witness some real sword techniques for the first time, and now you're scared?" Yoh continued to intimidate Ryu.

He finally snapped. "Y-You, don't make fun of me! You samurai wannabe!" He charged at Yoh swinging his wooden sword around.

"Ah n-no!" I shouted. "Don't! You don't want to fight him with and type of blades! You'll be killed! Yoh really did transform into a samurai!"

So now I understand everything! 'Connecting this world with the other world' meant that he let ghosts possess his own body, and trace the ghost's movements, skills, and everything else into this word!

It didn't take long until Bokuto no Ryu was on the ground with his comrades. He looked totally defeated, with his horizontal hair cut off from a single swipe from the makeshift weapon Yoh/Amidamaru found. The rest of the gang was panicking and started to flee, taking an unconscious Bokuto no Ryu with them. Yoh, now back to himself once more, was chatting with the ghosts of the graveyard, who were praising him for chasing out of the gang.

"Yoh… Asakura…" I found myself mumbling to myself.

It was perhaps that moment when I aspired to become a Shaman like himself.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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Author's notes:

I know the this prologue sort of was a translation of the first episode of the anime/manga of Shaman King, but do understand that even in this AU universe Manta had to meet Yoh somewhere along the process. So, I decided, why mess up a perfectly good storyline anyway? It will be much more different after this chapter, believe me. Just be patient, and Manta will develop as a Shaman. This was suppost to be an intro to the story only anyway.

I tried to keep Manta's personality as close to the original as I possibly could, but I had to change a few spots. For example, after this Manta won't be afraid of ghosts as much, or at least he'll try to be anyway, because he's now aspiring to become a Shaman much like Yoh and the others. And he'll be a bit more courageous than the normal Manta, because I can't make him run away or make him sit in the sidelines every time he gets involved in a Shaman Fight.

Also note that I have translated most of the conversation texts from the manga myself, so some people may notice small changes from what they might have seen in the Shonen Jump (English version) manga or the anime. I tried to keep it as accurate as possible, but I don't own either of them, so I can't check.

A note about the title of this fic. Killer Angel. I think many people might not be familiar with this phrase, so let me explain. If you look at the sweater Manta's wearing in a few Shaman King manga chapters, you will notice that on the back of his sweater are Angel Wings and the phrase 'Killer Angel' written on it. And to top it off there's a halo written on the top hood of the sweater as well, with the 'Angel Ring' inscription. Its only written in the earlier books of Shaman King, but it's there. So, I believe that Hiroyuki Takei Sensei is portraying Manta as a small guardian angel or something, so I might develop that idea further.

As for Manta's fighting style… I've yet to finalize that, but I've got an idea. For those who are curious, I suggest they look at the title page of Chapter 107 of the manga, Volume 12. And those two little guys in the bottom just might be the spirits Manta needs. I mean, that and Manta just looks so cool. I just need to decide what 'baikai', or item he needs to use for his Oversoul-style… but ah well.

Love Small!

-Nes Mikel


	2. Shaman X Shaman

**__**

"Chronicles of the Killer Angels"

By Nes Mikel

__

Acknowledgment;

Standard Disclaimers apply. You know what I'm talking about. Note that this fanfic is based on the manga, not on the anime, so some parts might be different from what you know from the story of the Shaman King or somewhat differently translated. I have never seen the anime, but I do own 25 volumes of Hiroyuki Takei Sensei's manga. Own, as in, purchase, by the way. Don't sue me. Please.

__

"He who overcomes will be dressed in white, and I will not take his name from the book of life; and I will give witness to his name before my Father, and before his Angels." - Revelations 3:5

****

Chapter II; "Shaman X Shaman"

The more I did research on Shamans, the more I became interested. Yoh initially looked at me as if I was insane when I told him that I wanted to become a Shaman like him, but he simply shrugged my request to train under him off.

"I can't really help you much. I mean, I'm still training to become a fully qualified Shaman myself." he replied.

Sure, that disappointed me initially. But I wasn't going to give up that easily. I decided to stick to Yoh and take up his offer of becoming friends with him. That way, I figured, I watch what he does as a Shaman and learn from him the ways of the Shaman.

It was a success.

In just a few days of becoming friends with Yoh, I became witness to many things Yoh did as a Shaman. He made Amidamaru, a spirit of a deceased samurai from 600 years ago, his friend, just like he made friends with me. Initially Amidamaru refused the offer, but after finding out the true reasons on why he hasn't gone to the afterlife yet, Amidamaru became Yoh's spirit, a _mochirei._

As a _mochirei_, Amidamaru was constantly together with Yoh, forging a bond of friendship so important that it made them inseparable. Together, they helped a obsessed earth-bound spirit of a board painter, assisted a delinquent who had lost his dream of becoming a boxer after his teacher's untimely death, and saved a few children from a burning building… the list goes on.

Truly, the things they did together were simply amazing. And each time they showed me what they were capable of, the more I was inspired to become a Shaman like Yoh.

That was good and all, but from what I observed from seeing Yoh and Amidamaru, there was one major problem preventing me from becoming a Shaman.

I didn't have a _mochirei_, a spirit of my own.

It was true that during the course of adventures I've shared with Yoh thus far, I've met many ghosts and became familiar with them. But being familiar with them was not enough. It was like searching for a dead person to practically be your best friend, and friends were one of the many things I didn't have very much of. And when it came to ghosts, I was totally hopeless. I've tried to talk to some spirits in the Funbarigaoka Graveyard to see if they were interested in being my _mochirei_, but every time I tried I remembered Yoh's words.

"_Mochirei_ can't be any ghosts, Manta." Yoh had told me. "They have to be ghosts who you could associate with, ghosts you can be conformable with, and above all, be friends with. All Shamans have different _mochirei_, and every one of them has to be important to them."

Unfortunately, there weren't any ghosts in that graveyard that fitted that description. There was one ghost – a kamikaze pilot – who I gradually became a good friend of, but if he were to become my _mochirei_, I was afraid I'd inherit his suicidal tendencies. Even if that were not the case, if he fused his spirit with me I was afraid he'd kill himself in some reckless charge for honor… and since he is one possessing my body, I'd be the one to die. That didn't sound too appealing, so I gave up, and decided to just keep it as friends. When I told Yoh about this, he made a joke saying that if I died, he'd let me become his _mochirei_. I naturally didn't laugh at that joke.

But Yoh, coming from a long line of Shamans – the famous Japanese Shaman family, the Asakuras – he had no problem getting aquatinted with various ghosts and acquiring various _mochirei_. He was born with the ability to see ghosts from the beginning, and was raised in a family full of Shamans. Of course he could communicate with ghosts easily. Add that to his happy-go-lucky attitude of pretty much everything, so that meant he pretty much asked every ghost he came across to be his _mochirei_. The trouble was, of course, that most of the time he was successful. That was why in addition to Amidamaru, he acquired the many other ghosts, like:

__

Suzuki – Was the top of his class in marks at his time. Really good at tests. Committed suicide 5 years ago.

__

Kobayashi – Ex-Captain of the Track Team. Died in an automobile accident.

__

Ashida – Prodigy of the Visual Arts Club. Killed himself when he stayed up for 15 days straight trying to finish a painting.

__

Noriko – Pianist. Died of a fever just before she was about give her master presentation.

Using these ghosts, he made school life such a breeze to him it made me want to tear my hair apart. True, he was using his natural talent as a Shaman, which he was entitled to use… but using those ghosts in school to upgrade his grades was simply cheating! It was as if all the knowledge I acquired from studying so hard was useless if Yoh could do such a thing!

Nevertheless, I also learned from Yoh that Shamans have to endure hardships too. As a Shaman, it was his responsibility to not only help people, but also he needs to help ghosts as well. And, in the process of doing just that there was always the possibility of a Shaman to suffer injuries or a fate even worse than simple injury.

But, I was determined to become a Shaman, so although I was afraid of the bad possibilities that might come with it, I kept on reasearching more and more about Shamans and their relationships with their _mochirei_. Yoh and Amidamaru were great help in that regard.

But the more I learned about Shamans, the possibility of me becoming a Shaman seemed farther and farther away. It was true that I've cleared the prerequisite of a Shaman – the ability to see ghosts. The next phase was more difficult – the presence of strong spiritual power. Without spiritual power, I could not make a ghost fuse my spirit with me in order to trace the ghost's movements into this world, and apparently I only had little amounts.

I have tried several times to fuse my spirit with the ghosts in the Funbarigaoka Graveyard with Yoh's help, but I was unsuccessful. The only other way I could fuse my spirit with other ghosts (according to Yoh) was involuntary possession of my body. However, this meant that only ghosts with strong regret in this world (which, also according to Yoh, were typically evil) could ever possess my body. Worse still, if that particular type of ghost possessed my body long enough, I'd die. Things were not looking up at all.

I was pondering over that very problem as I sat in the middle of the Funbarigaoka Graveyard. After that incident with Bokuto no Ryu, I decided to come here every night after I was out from cram school. I familiarized myself with ghosts in the graveyard, trying to get into the spirit of the Shamans who were constantly together with ghosts so I don't have to freak out every time Amidamaru suddenly pops out besides Yoh. Besides, if one day I did acquire a _mochirei_, what kind of Shaman would I be if I was scared of my own _mochirei _every time it pops out of thin air?

In addition, I was also training myself in strength and endurance so I could possibly one day have enough spiritual power to fuse myself with ghost. Yoh did say that it was possible to increase one's spiritual power from physical training, but from the looks of his face when he told me that, I was willing to bet that he was not sure. But, I decided what the heck. What did I have to lose from anyway?

After a couple of rounds of running around the graveyard, I looked up at the sky, seeing the stars shine brightly. Looking at the stars like this, I found, was somewhat comforting. 

"I bet Yoh feels like this when he looks at the stars…" I mumbled to myself.

Stars. It seemed that just by looking them, all the worry seemed to disappear. How ironic, I thought, that I was running in order to train myself. The running I once loathed above all else, the running I once hated with a passion. But I believed it was worth it, if it were to contribute to my goal. It was one goal that I never had been so passionate about before, and I intended to pursue my goal as far as I could possibly could. Yoh was my objective, but above all else, he was a good friend of mine.

My watch beeped. It was time to go. It was getting late, and much as I hated to think about it, I still had real life to think about. Mother was getting increasingly worried lately on how I've been arriving late at home these days, and I couldn't afford to be late again when one training session resulted in the local police searching for me. I still remember the look on her face when I was brought back home. I shuddered. I hastily gathered up the books that were lying on the ground. After carefully brushing off the dirt on the books and my dictionary I got up to leave when a voice suddenly called out to me.

"Hey, you there… why are you in such a hurry?"

It startled me for sure. Wondering if it was Yoh calling me again, I searched for the source of the voice. It didn't take long. It was a boy, but it was definitely not Yoh. He didn't look that much older nor younger than Yoh or I, and was about as tall as Yoh. He wore short black pants, black shoes, and a crisp, clean gray uniform complete with a necktie of a school I didn't recognize. But what was interesting was his hairstyle. The hair on the top of his head was pointy. He was standing on top of the shrine in the graveyard, staring at the sky with a determined look on the face.

Who was he? What was he doing at this hour at this place all by himself?

"…So, there are other people like Yoh-kun in this world…" I commented to myself.

My watch beeped again. Damn, I'm going to miss the train again if I don't hurry! Ignoring the boy atop the shrine, I ran past him trying to reach the exit, but he called to me again.

"Don't you think that Tokyo has no stars?" he said. "Stars are like the guideposts that lead us mankind. People who cannot see the movements of the stars will lose their path are doomed to extinction. You see stars, but are you like the other peasants who do not see the true meanings behind them?"

"Me, a peasant?" I rebutted. "You sure don't have manners… and besides, what do you mean that there are no stars? This is the best place in this town to watch stars!"

"Heh, you can't call these real stars." he continued to speak. "I thought you would understand…"

Suddenly, he disappeared atop the shrine. I rubbed my eyes. Did he just vanish? Where did he go?

"After all, you too, are a Shaman in training…" a voice behind me suddenly spoke up. I quickly spun my head around. It was him! H-How did he get around behind me so fast?

"Shaman? W-Who are you…?"

"Heh, heh… don't be so scared." he said, sneering. "I don't intend to harm you. I just needed to ask you a favor."

"….A favor?"

"Yes… tell your friend, the headphone-boy this…"

"T-To Yoh-kun?"

He flashed one of those smiles you instantly knew was full of evil. "My name is Ren." he said. "I am the one who will have your ghost of the samurai."

Suddenly, a figure appeared behind the mysterious boy. It was definitely a ghost, as it had no feet. But the figure was also definitely scary, even more so than that Bokutou no Ryu. Its appearance resembled that of an ancient Chinese warrior, and this one was clad in full body armor. With its arms crossed in front of him, his presence seemed overwhelming.

I took a step back. "A-Ah…"

"Remember what I said." the boy told me once more.

Then, as quickly as he appeared, he disappeared along with the ghost. I was left there, once again, speechless.

At least I didn't faint.

***

"Look, how many times do I have to tell you!" I was screaming the next day at school, in the ear of a particular transfer student. "You know, at that graveyard we always go to! There was this boy who was with this ghost of an ancient Chinese warrior! There's no doubting it! That's a Shaman! There's a Shaman besides you!"

"Ah… that's great." Yoh lazily replied, apparently bothered that I woke him up from his sleep.

"Aren't you surprised!?"

"Ah~ be quiet for a while, will you? I didn't say that I was the only Shaman left in existence. There's still plenty of Shamans around the world.

I grabbed his ear and breathing in a deep breath, I shouted. "_LISTEN TO ME! HE SAID THAT HE'S GONNA HAVE AMIDAMARU! ISN'T THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU!?"_

Yoh still looked unfazed. "…have Amidamaru?"

"_YES!"_

"Okay, okay." Yoh raised his hand as if surrendering. "Look, we'll discuss this later. The bell's gonna ring soon anyway."

As if one cue, the bell rung.

"Ah~! Finally!" Yoh stood up and stretched his arms. "C'mon, Manta. Let's go out and eat something!" He was already out of the door with his books and bags, running. I sighed, and followed him to a nearby burger store. He was already sitting back and cheerfully eating burger and fries when I finally caught up to him. I stared at Yoh briefly, pondering if I should yell at him for leaving me behind, but not that I've aquatinted myself with Yoh enough, I knew he would just give me a lazy response. So I gave up and ordered myself a meal and sat down with him to eat.

"So, what did you *munch much* say his *munch munch* name was?" Yoh asked as he continued to eat his burger.

"Ren. He didn't give me his last name."

"Ren? Ren… Ren… Ren…" Yoh seemed to ponder over the name over for a moment as he continued to eat. When he finished, he shook his head sideways. "Nope, haven't heard a Shaman by the name of Ren before."

"You sure?" I asked after I finished my drink. "But are you sure there isn't something between you and him? Can't you think of anyone who would hate you?"

"I don't think I've done anything to make anyone hate me, but…there's one possibility."

"What possibility?"

"I told you before that a Shaman's quality is determined by how strong their _mochirei_ is, right? It's possible that this Ren saw me somewhere when I fused my spirit with Amidamaru, and became interested in him."

__

"I see!" Amidamaru suddenly appeared besides Yoh from the _ihai_, the portable gravestone Yoh always carried around. _"So this Ren decided to have me as his own, who's strong, handsome, and capable!"_

"Heh, yeah. But you shouldn't say things like those to yourself, Amidamaru." Yoh chuckled. I laughed alongside. It surprised me at first how Amidamaru was able to pop in and out from the _ihai_ at will, but after a while I got used to it. It seemed that spending time training in the Funbarigaoka Graveyard paid off a little.

__

"However…it concerns me that boy's mochirei is a Chinese warrior. _Curiosity fed from the fact that I am a Japanese samurai, of course."_ Amidamaru said.

I shrugged. "Yeah, it really looked strong. And that Ren's eyes… they looked pretty scary too. I'm still surprised I haven't fainted myself. Are you sure you're okay about this, Yoh-kun?"

"Heh, it's alright. If people could see ghosts, they can't be bad! So don't worry about it!" Yoh said cheerfully. "Besides, he must have some sort of reason behind it. I want to meet him too! He may be our first Shaman friend!"

__

"Ah, yes!" Amidamaru also brightened. _"I would like to meet this Chinese warrior as well! I'm rather excited about this!"_

"Yeah!" Yoh agreed.

I sighed and shook my head sideways. How could they be so relaxed? But then again, relaxing _is_ better than panicking…

__

"WHAT THE HELL DO YA THINK YOU ARE DOIN' KID!"

What was that? The voice seemed to be coming from outside. Inside the store, all of the other people were also scurrying around, surprised.

"Hey look!" A customer not far away from us stood up from his seat and pointed towards the outside of the window. "There's a kid outside being picked on by gang members!"

I dashed to the window and took a quick peek outside. And there, standing in the middle of the road surrounded by gangs was Ren. He didn't look any different from the time I last saw him, except he was holding a suitcase. Probably was on his way back from his school.

"Ah! That's him, Yoh-Kun!" I pointed at Ren. "That's Ren!"

Yoh came up besides me. "So that's him?" 

__

"I cannot see the ghost of the Chinese warrior… but what is happening outside?" asked Amidamaru.

"Hmph." I heard Ren over the glass. "Don't be so loud, you scum. That car was in my way."

"But you didn't have to kick it!" one of the gang members was shouting. "_AND YOU DARE CALL US SCUMS!?"_

"That car emits carbon-dioxide gas and pollutes the air, covering the stars. Doesn't that fact alone justify you as a scum on this Earth? You stupid cockroach!"

Oh geez, what was he doing!? He was pissing them off!

The gang members snapped. "_YOU! DON'T UNDERESTIMATE US!"_

Apparently, they were the ones that underestimated him. With a quick fury of punches and kicks, the gang members were down on the pavement in no time. His movements were so precise and strong! He was a master of martial arts!

"What is he?" Yoh besides me was asking. "Is he really a Shaman? He's strong without doing anything."

I scratched my head. "No… I'm sure I saw a ghost behind him… but was I imagining it? I don't know… _OH NO!"_

One of the gang members, having had enough of Ren, decided to get into the car and run Ren over with it! The car's engine turned on, and the driver hit the accelerator and the car was in a collision course!

"Tsk." I heard Ren say. "This is why we need to get rid of scums."

Ren threw his uniform's suit off to reveal an _ihai_ attached to a holder on his left chest.

"Come out, Bason!" Ren shouted. And with his shout, the ghost of the furious Chinese warrior appeared behind him!

"_SPIRIT FUSION! BASON! CHUUKA-ZANMAI!"_

It was over within seconds. One moment he opened his suitcase and revealed a very large spear separated in several parts, built it within seconds, and split the car in two! With its fuel tank split in two, the car didn't go far before it exploded behind Ren.

"See, Yoh-kun!" I pointed at Ren once more "That's the ghost I told you about!"

Then, from the burning wreckage of the car, emerged the now injured member of the gang, trying to scramble to safety… only to have the tip of Ren's spear aimed at his head.

"Hmm… so it was true that cockroaches were strong creatures…" I heard Ren say. I then realized what Ren was about to do. He was going to kill the poor gang member! Before I knew it, I ran out of the burger store to try to stop the meaningless slaughter that was about to take place.

But Yoh was faster.

"That's enough." Yoh held back the spear from attacking, preventing Ren from tearing the man's head into shreds.

Ren didn't even turn back to recognize the figure holding his spear was Yoh. "Hmph… so you finally appeared, headphone-boy!"

"What are you trying to do?" Yoh protested as he let go of the spear. "Shamans are not suppost to kill!"

"Why are you angry? Do these scum's lives mean anything? If you are a Shaman too, like that little kid over there…"

I took a step back. He was referring to me! I was sort of happy that I was recognized as a Shaman by someone else, _but now was not the time! This was serious! Besides, I'm 13 years old now! Not a kid!_

"…then you should understand my feelings." Ren finished. "The air continues to become polluted, the stars disappear, and people are chased by time and losing their place in their heart. Never before has spirituality been so neglected. Don't you think this world as it stands today is filthy? I am the one who is to become the King of Shamans who will cleanse this world! But in order to achieve my goal I need many strong ghosts."

The King of Shamans? What was he talking about? And what was this 'I will cleanse this world' mean?

"Alright… talk's over, headphone-boy! Hand over your samurai _mochirei_ to me!"

"No way!" Yoh replied simply.

"What?" Ren glared at him.

"What are you, anyway?" Yoh asked him. "Saying all these things that doesn't make sense! Besides, you shouldn't say 'hand over' to a person you've just met!"

"Hmph, so what, should I say 'may I please'?"

"No!" Yoh raised his voice, a rare action for him. "Amidamaru is my friend! Don't treat them as if they were things!"

Ren seemed puzzled. "Friends?"

"Yeah! If you want Amidamaru's strength, why don't you just become friends with us?"

Yoh, what the heck are you thinking? I thought to myself. You couldn't be friends with someone dangerous like him! And, as if to confirm that, Ren started to laugh.

"Ha- _hahahaha! _Ghosts are your friends? You think ghosts are your _friends_? This is hilarious!"

"What's so funny?" Yoh asked.

"Hmph, you really think ghosts are your friends?" Ren shifted the position of his spear. "For us Shamans, ghosts are 'tools' in order to draw their attributes from. Don't you think that showing emotions like friendship to those tools is simply stupid?"

Yoh's face suddenly turned serious. "Tools?'

"What's with that face?" Ren's laugh suddenly stopped and turned serious as well. "I only told you the truth."

Suddenly, I noticed that the atmosphere around the vicinity changed. The air suddenly became tense. This was not good! Suddenly another Shaman appears and they start to stare at each other as if they were enemies? And that Ren, wielding real spears in the middle of a town… he's not sane! What was going on!?

Ren was the first to break the silence. "Hmph, but I didn't expect to see a Shaman who doesn't even know of the King of Shamans. Even if you possess a grand ghost you're still an amateur as a Shaman, I see…"

Ren's _mochirei_ Bason appeared behind once more. Ren continued to speak, and readied his spear. "You can't use that samurai properly. Strong ghosts should belong to me. If you insist on not giving up that ghost, I'd have to take it from you by force! Go Bason!" The ghost behind him took up fighting stance. "We must first break the Shaman owner!"

Break? Wait a minute… that meant… _kill Yoh!?_ "Yoh-kun!" I shouted a warning, but he seemed… unresponsive?

"Originally, ghosts are spirits who have nowhere to go to and is therefore an unbalanced existence!" Ren continued to boast. "Once the owner is gone, a wandering ghost can easily be tamed under a pro Shaman, and transform into a magnificent tool!"

I took a quick glance at Yoh. He seemed to be… shaking in anger? "…the ghost behind you… you made him a war machine like that? I don't know who you are or what you are, but… I can't forgive you for treating ghosts as tools! Manta! Give me that pipe!"

I looked at the direction he was pointing at. There was a long steel pipe. Ah, I see! Yoh was going to use it as a sword. "A-Ah, okay! Here you go Yoh-kun, catch!" I managed to heave the heavy pipe and threw it in the air. Another example of training paying off. Yoh cached the makeshift sword in the air, and as soon as he did Amidamaru appeared behind him.

"Amidamaru!" Yoh shouted.

__

"I am here!" Amidamaru replied.

"You heard him, right? Let's teach this guy a lesson! He's wrong!"

__

"I am inclined to agree!"

"Ah, hah! So you've finally appeared, samurai!" Ren smiled his evil smile. "I'm excited for you will soon be mine."

"Alright, here we go! _SPIRIT FUSION!_" Yoh and Ren both shouted at the same time, fusing their souls with their respective _mochirei_. The fusion process didn't take long, and soon they were fighting each other with their fused bodies.

Although I was slightly shocked of the fact that they were really going to fight, I knew deep down that there was no other way. Ren was wrong, and Yoh was right. Shamans should never use ghosts as tools! But, but this… Samurai vs. Warrior… Shamans can recreate battles that can cross the border of time? Although I was afraid of what might happen, I was also excited at the same time. I mentally added another reason to why I wanted to become a Shaman.

As for the battle, it seemed like a pretty even match between Yoh/Amidamaru and Ren/Bason. At first they clashed their weapons with each other. They were almost too literally dead even. They broke up the fight temporarily, and Ren/Bason followed up with a series of deadly slashes, which Yoh/Amidamaru avoided rather easily, the split up car taking the fallout instead. Using this opportunity, Yoh/Amidamaru attempted to slash at Ren/Bason in a wide horizontal arc, but it was simply too wide and Ren/Bason dodged easily by ducking down.

"Don't try to stand in Ren-sama's way…" the Bason inside Ren spoke. Ren/Bason withdrew their spear for a moment, and before I knew it, it was suddenly brought up in a vicious vertical arc. 

I recognized that technique. That was the technique used to split that car in two! But Yoh/Amidamaru's posture was bad! If they couldn't dodge it, they would be split in two!

"Dodge it, Yoh-kun!" I shouted.

"_CHUUKA-ZANMAI!_"

In a flash, Yoh/Amidamaru brought down the sword in such a speed it was a blur to me. The metal pole connected with the staff part of the spear and deflected the Chuuka-Zanmai to their right. I sweatdropped when I saw that even through the Chuuka-Zanmai missed its intended target, the guardrail that took the fallout was split into half. And that thing was made with metal!

"Ha- _hahahaha!_" Ren laughed. "Yes, there was no doubting it! You are strong, samurai! I want you more than ever, Amidamaru! So, I'll stop testing your strength here! I'm going to hunt you down for real now!"

"Testing our strength!?" the Amidamaru within Yoh asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Hmph, Amidamaru…it is true that you are stronger than my Bason here. But! If you continue to be with that headphone-boy you can never win! You already know what I'm talking about, don't you? If you fuse with that man you can only bring out ten percent of your true power!"

Ten percent? Did that mean… Yoh and Amidamaru were not fused properly!? When I looked at Yoh's face the fact was confirmed. The Amidamaru inside Yoh was clearly hesitating.

"_Hahahaha!_" Ren continued to laugh. "_Witness! This is the true power of a shaman! Fusion power hundred percent! CHUUKA-ZANMAI!"_

A soft breeze blew through the streets of Funbarigaoka that day. When the dust settled, Yoh was lying with his back on the ground, a deep gash gaping from his left shoulder, a pool of blood slowly forming underneath him. The metal pipe sword he had was also split in two.

"Heh… the ability to use a ghost's power a hundred percent traces the full power, speed, and abilities of the ghost. But in order to have this ability one needs physiological strength so strong you are able to dominate ghosts. Your maximum capacity is at best ten percent. So even if you have a stronger ghost, you cannot win." Ren licked the blood off his lips. "This is the difference between you and me. Amidamaru is mine."

"Y-Yoh-kun…" I staggered, not believing the sight I was seeing. "What's going on…? Yoh-kun and Amidamaru lost!? That's not possible!"

Ren started walking towards Yoh's body. "Hmph, he was too kind. Shamans who cannot dominate ghosts cannot use ghosts properly. But he, calling ghosts his friends! There is no way he can dominate ghosts that way!"

"D-Dominate?" I asked.

"That is right." Ren surprised me by answering my question. "There is a reason behind this. In fact, in a spirit fusion state, it's necessary to have two spirits within one body."

"Two states…?" Realization hit me. "Then that means…!"

"Ah, I see you noticed. That's right." Ren continued to walk towards Yoh. "Two spirits controlling one body… when that state is reached all kinds of resistance is born. The slowing down of information transfer, the difference of opinions… if two spirits exist at the level of 'friends', then of course you cannot move your body properly."

Ren turned around breifly and pointed a finger at me. I took another step back, afraid. "Shamans exist in order to use ghosts in this world with their own world!" he continued to explain. "In order to do that one must dominate their ghosts hundred percent and use them as tools! There is no way that a fool who treats ghosts as friends could ever hope to use the ghost's abilities to a hundred percent efficiency! You should remember that if you wish to become a Shaman, Manta Oyamada."

"Those who cannot dominate their ghosts… cannot use their ghosts efficiently…" I mumbled to myself.

Ren chuckled. "You learn fast. That is correct! Even if one owned a splendid F-1 racing machine, if the pilot is a novice, races cannot be won! A good machine needs a good pilot." Ren finally reached Yoh's body and pointed the spear at his heart. "Die peacefully. I'll use Amidamaru well."

"Amidamaru… is… not a machine!" A voice emerged from Yoh's body. I jumped in glee. Yoh was alive! Ren took a step back as well, being cautious as Yoh gradually woke up. He was clutching his left shoulder, and it was bleeding rather badly, but otherwise he looked fine.

"Amidamaru is my friend!" Yoh insisted. "You still intend to treat him as a 'tool'?"

"You… still have strength left to get up?" Ren gradually withdrew and cautiously placed some distance between himself and Yoh.

"Ow~! So much blood!" I heard Yoh complain. "If Amidamaru hadn't dodged at that very second, my arm would've been chopped off!"

But Ren's shocked face soon returned normal. He was chuckling to himself again. "Heh, managing to still keep your host alive after being such in a disadvantageous position… I must congratulate you more! I want you even more now, Amidamaru!"

Amidamaru appeared besides Yoh, looking wounded although ghosts could not. _"Don't be ridiculous!"_ said Amidamaru. _"I will never serve a master like you!"_

"Don't be so cocky." Red said with his arms crossed in front of him. "Even if you fuse your spirit with him again it's simply not possible to dodge my next attack with the condition your 'current' master is in."

__

"Ah…!" Amidamaru tightened his fist in anger. _"I am sorry, Yoh-dono! If I were a bit more stronger…!"_

"What are you saying, Amidamaru?" Yoh replied. "You're already strong enough. It's my fault. I didn't know there was a guy like him…"

__

"Yoh-dono…"

"I probably can't win against him, Amidamaru." Yoh admitted. "So run away now."

"Hah, what a useless way to resist!" Ren mocked Yoh. "If you die there is nowhere left for that samurai to go in this world!"

"…so that's why he's going to the other world where his friend Moskue is. Amidamaru doesn't have any regret in this world." explained Yoh.

To the other world? I thought. That meant that… _Yoh was letting go of Amidamaru!?_

"What are you, stupid!?" Ren shouted, clearly bewildered of Yoh's decision. "Normally, once a ghost leaves this world, there is no way it could come back! You are letting go of your own _mochirei_!?"

Yoh flashed a smile and stuck his tongue at Ren. "It's much better than Amidamaru becoming your tool!"

__

"Yoh-dono…"

"D-Damn you!" Ren readied his spear once more. "If that's the case then, I'll kill you before that ghosts has the chance to leave this world!"

Amidamaru suddenly appeared before Yoh, putting himself between Yoh and Ren as a wall. "Amidamaru, what are you doing!? Leave now before it's too late!" Yoh was protesting.

__

"Yoh-dono!" Amidamaru shouted. _"There is no way a samurai like me can leave his master without fighting, it is a action disrespecting my own honor! I understand there is nothing I can do now… but! I already have a regret in this world… and that is you, Yoh-dono!"_

"Amidamaru…" Yoh mumbled in disbelief.

"Hahahaha! What a great display of friendship, you idiots!" Ren said as he began is charge. "But can't you understand that you can't win against me with petty 'friendship'? Let's go Bason!" Ren brought out his _ihai_. "_SPIRIT FUSION HUNDERED PERCENT! CHUUKA-ZANMAI!"_

"YOH-KUN!" I shouted, fearing it was too late.

A loud metal _clang_ sound echoed though the streets. When it faded away, Yoh was still standing, blocking Ren/Bason's attack. But… how was it possible? Did Yoh and Amidamaru fuse their spirits again!? But even so… how could he stop Ren/Bason's attack when they couldn't before? Wait a moment… was he at… _hundred percent capacity!?_

"No, it can't be…" said Ren, seemingly in disbelief. "It's not possible!"

"It's possible." Yoh spoke up suddenly. "You… were Ren right? You taught us how. When the two spirit's opinions match a hundred percent, we can trace the ghost's power a hundred percent in this world as well." Yoh then held the one of each of the split metal pipes in both of his hands and readied himself in a stance that seemed vaguely familiar. "And right now, our feelings have matched perfectly…that we will defeat you!"

Ah, that stance! I recognized it now! It was the stance that made Amidamaru earn the legendary status of the strongest samurai, and the reason he was nicknamed the 'demon'! The stance that defeated a thousand men! The _Nyorai_!

"Hmph, your feelings have become the same?" Ren said it in a chilling tone. It seemed that he regained his calm. "Don't utter such nonsense. Even if you are 'friends' its not possible that opinions match a hundred percent." Ren steadied his spear in preparation for another attack. "There is no way… a friend will obey your orders a hundred percent!" Without waiting another second, he charged for the final attack.

"No, it's possible!" Yoh/Amidamaru shouted. "This is the answer! _Amidamaru sword style… GOKOUJIN!_"

The effect of the technique was devastating. That Ren, that strong Ren, was lying on the ground with his spear utterly destroyed, defeated. "Is he… another one…" Ren mumbled before losing consciousness. "Another that holds… the possibility of… becoming the Shaman King?" And with that, he fainted out of consciousness, finally defeated once and for all.

Thus, the fight ended. But what did this fight mean? What was the Shaman King? Who was Yoh, really?

I still knew nothing of the Shamans.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

__

Author's notes:

Whew! That's chapter two for you all! Did you notice the gradual and subtle difference between Manta's attitude from the normal Shaman King? Yes, he's actually trying to become stronger! Just imagine Manta doing such a thing!

Ahem. Anyway, I must thank Chibi Team Rocket for reviewing. Those are the very things that keep on inspiring me to write more. You don't have to go as far as loving me for this, but thanks anyway! XD And yes, I do plan to add his angel and demon sides as his spirits (or mochirei, like I referred to in the chapter above) and make him participate in the Shaman Fight. At the rate this fanfiction is going next, they should make their appearances in the next chapter.

Next chapter! Anna makes an appearance! How would this affect Manta's training as a Shaman? And who is this mysterious Chinese lady? And Manta's power awakens when he meets Bokutou no Ryu for the second time? All in the next chapter: "Shaman Life"!

Love Small!

-Nes Mikel


	3. Shaman Life

**__**

"Chronicles of the Killer Angels"

By Nes Mikel

__

Acknowledgment;

Standard Disclaimers apply. You know what I'm talking about. Note that this fanfic is based on the manga, not on the anime, so some parts might be different from what you know from the story of the Shaman King or somewhat differently translated. I have never seen the anime, but I do own 25 volumes of Hiroyuki Takei Sensei's manga. Own, as in, purchase, by the way. Don't sue me. Please.

__

"He who overcomes will be dressed in white, and I will not take his name from the book of life; and I will give witness to his name before my Father, and before his Angels." - Revelations 3:5

****

Chapter III; "Shaman Life"

Amidamaru and I continued to stare at Yoh's unresponsive body, lying there peacefully atop a hospital bed. With Ren finally defeated, it didn't take long until Yoh lost consciousness from the lack of blood. It turned out that his injury was more serious that I originally had thought. A hailstorm of confusing events followed – like explaining the situation to the police and the doctors in the hospital without stretching the truth that much – but in the end we managed to get him to the hospital rather safely. 

"He isn't waking up…" I said. "It's already been three days. Was his injury that bad?"

__

"…no. The fusion process was too straining for Yoh-dono to continue for a long time." Amidamaru bitterly admitted. His eyes flashed in anger. _"How disgraceful of me! If I had little more strength this wouldn't have happened!"_

"Calm down, Amidamaru, you look scary like that." I laughed briefly but then soon sighed. "It's not your fault. It's all because of that Ren…"

I took a look at Yoh again, the white sheets on top of his rising and falling gently as Yoh continued to sleep undisturbed. "Who was Ren?" I asked to myself. "Why did he go after Yoh-kun? And what was the Shaman King?" I continued to stare at Yoh. "Wake up, Yoh-kun… and please, give me the answers…"

But Yoh kept on sleeping, his answers still locked within the confines of his lost consciousness. Sighing once more, I brought out the dictionary I always carry around and started to flip through it. 

The dictionary I always carry around – the _manjien_ – was a dictionary granted to me by Father. It was one of the few things Father ever gave to me, and it was the only one that I ever cherished. The _manjien_ gave me knowledge, an attribute that I was rather proud to have. The dictionary always helped me through tough times and has perhaps even saved my life in a few incidences I really don't wish to recall. It was a book full of sad and happy memories. But this time, the knowledge the dictionary had was useless. It didn't give me the answers I was looking for. Only Yoh held the key to those very answers.

I was about to close the book when suddenly Yoh screamed in his sleep. _"AAAAH! DON'T HIT ME, GRANDPA!"_

Amidamaru and I were both knocked from our seats by the sudden outburst from Yoh. I hastily got up and stared at the now-consciousness Yoh. I tried to open my mouth to speak. "Y-Yoh…"

__

"Yoh-dono has awakened~!" Amidamaru shouted, the first to express his joy. He was even crying!

"Ah, I see." Yoh said to himself, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. "So that 'King of Shamans' Ren was talking about was the 'Shaman King'."

__

"What!?" both Amidamaru and I shouted in confusion.

"Besides, didn't I start to train myself because I wanted to become the Shaman King?" Yoh continued to talk to himself. "Then all of a sudden training became my objective…" he sighed.

__

"Just wait a second~!" I tried to stop Yoh before things got confusing.

Amidamaru rubbed his tears off his face. _"W-well, I'm not sure what's really going on, but I am glad that you are well! I haven't felt alive since you have lost your consciousness, Yoh-dono!"_

You smiled briefly as he put on his headphones, but that wasn't exactly the response I was expecting from him. I wanted answers."Wait, Yoh-kun! What's this Shaman King you're talking about? What is it!?"

"Shut up, you're loud." A cold voice echoed through the room. This got Yoh's attention finally, and we all turned towards the door where the voice came from. It was a girl.She wore a loose black dress that ended halfway down her knees. Her golden-brown hair was tied around with a long, red bandanna that fell down through the back of her head, giving her the illusion that she had long hair. She also wore a necklace around her neck made of rather large round beads. She carried a long stick with on top of her shoulders with a sack attached to the end. Her whole appearance gave her a rather ominous atmosphere.

"I heard you were injured and hospitalized so I came, but what's with this racket?" the girl continued to speak at us.

"What are you, butting in here all of a sudden?" I stood up and walked towards the girl. I shook my finger at her. "Are you sure you got your room right?"

__

"Manta, watch out!" Yoh suddenly shouted a warning. I turned my head around to ask what was wrong, but it was too late. The girl gave me a slap so hard I was sure it would leave a permanent scar on my face. Add the sheer destructive force of her slap and the fact that I was small, it threw me across the room and my tiny body slammed against the wall. Fortunately I was lucky enough to not lose consciousness.

"Just who do you think you're talking to, _shrimp_?" She added a special emphasis to the word 'shrimp' as she continued to talk in her cold voice. "I am the _itako_ Shaman, Anna. I am Yoh Asakura's fiancée."

__

"WHAT~!?" I shouted, the burning pain on my left cheek simply fading away when I heard those words. I pointed my finger at her. "You're is Yoh-kun's… _fiancée?"_

"That's right." she replied as she faced a open-mouthed Yoh. "But let's just put the questions aside for now, shall we? I've come here to train you, Yoh, under my 'special training course'… all in order to make me the First Lady of the Shaman World."

F-First Lady!? A _itako_!? Training!? A… a… _fiancée?_ "What the heck are you talking about!?" I shouted, keeping my finger pointed at her. "The things you say simply doesn't make sense!"

"Anna…" Yoh suddenly spoke out. "How did you find me here?"

__

"You know each other!?" I questioned.

"Of course we know each other." the girl replied. "I am the woman raised by Yoh's grandmother, Kino Asakura. I am Anna Kyoyama, 13 years old, an _itako_." She then took off her bead necklace and started to rub them together. Suddenly, numerous ghosts appeared behind the girl. I recognized some of the ghosts… ah! They were the ghosts of the Funbarigaoka Graveyard!

"My specialty is the _kuchiyose_, the summoning of ghosts. No matter where the ghosts are, or even if they had gone to the other world, I can summon them and talk to them. So if I summon the ghosts of the Funbarigaoka Graveyard I know everything about Yoh. It's been a while, hasn't it? Was it when Kino-sama went home last year's new years the last time we met?"

I noticed Yoh was sweating a lot at this point, probably confused as I was. "W-wait, a second… you're saying that you two are Shamans and childhood friends…!?" I asked.

"That's right." she walked over to the nearest bed and sat on it. "But Tokyo is so tiring even if you're simply walking… hey you." the girl named Anna glared at me. "Buy me a drink."

"_What!?_ Why me-" I didn't get a chance to finish as she slapped me across the room again.

"Geez, you're a loud shrimp aren't you?" I heard her cold voice reach my ears over the pain. "Besides, what are you to Yoh?"

I slowly managed to get up. "M-me? I'm just a friend of Yoh's and trying to become a Shaman…"

"Oh, is that so?" she questioned me. "Then you shouldn't try to rebel against my will."

"What?" I asked.

"Because the will of the future wife of the Shaman King is _absolute_." She then took out two pieces of paper and threw them in the air. All of a sudden, two huge ghosts easily four times the size of me materialized out of thin air. I almost fainted when I witnessed their appearances. _They looked like demons from ancient Japanese literature!_ One of them was holding a shield and one was holding an axe! They looked ominous! "Or Zenki and Kouki here will be the ones to slap you next time." Anna added threateningly.

I was out of the door in a flash.

***

I was crying in front of the vending machine as I stubbornly put some coins in and purchased a melon-flavored drink. "W-What was she?" I said to myself, shaking in fear. "Why do I have to do things as if I were her slave? And to top it off she's Yoh-kun's _fiancée_ and the _future wife of the Shaman King!?_ What was going on?" I rubbed my tears off my face with the tip of my sleeve.

"Hmm… this is a problem." A voice behind me said. I turned around.

__

"YOH-KUN!" I hugged him as if he were my savior.

"Ssshhh! Quiet down, Manta!" Yoh put up a finger in front of his lips. "I told her I was going to the bathroom."

"O-Okay…" I managed to hold back a sob.

"I'll talk as we go back, okay?"

I nodded. After gathering up the drink from the floor, we cautiously started heading back to Yoh's assigned hospital room. "Manta," Yoh began. "I told you before that I'm from a long line of Shamans, right?"

I nodded.

"So my parents… get this… decided to engage me to someone so the Shaman bloodline of our family will not die out."

"Ah." was all the response I gave.

"See, the Shaman population in the world is at a decline, so they're pretty serious about this."

I nodded once more, finally realizing the harsh reality Yoh was facing. "Geez…" was all I could say.

Yoh clutched his head as if he were in pain. "I always knew this day would come, but why did they have to choose Anna at grandma's place? What have I gotten myself into?"

I gulped. "Is it that bad?" 

Yoh nodded. "Every time I've met her, she made me cry."

I shuddered in fear.

"But now that it's decided, she really determined to make me the Shaman King." Yoh explained. "The _mochirei_ of the Shaman King, the ultimate spirit that knows all – the King of Spirits – grants its master the world they desire."

"…I see. So that's what she meant by 'First Lady'…" I replied. "But geez, that really surprised me. I didn't know that the Shaman King was such a grand figure… wait a sec." I pondered over the statement for a while. "Does that mean that Buddha from 2500 years ago and Christ from 2000 years ago, the two people who changed the world as saviors, find that ultimate spirit… and achieved the rank of the Shaman King?"

"Arrgggh, dammit!" Yoh exclaimed, ignoring what I just said. "What is this 'special training course' she's talking about?" 

I was tempted to scold him, but I simply shrugged in response. "Well, maybe that's why. You're usually so laid back at everything, but you start to panic simply because she showed up… maybe that's why your family decided her to become your fiancée."

"What?" Yoh shot a confusing look at me.

"Think about it." I explained. "If you're so laid back all the time, not only can you not become the Shaman King, you can't even be a decent Shaman. So she's your 'motivator', get it?"

"That's not funny!" Yoh rebutted. "I have my own ways of training…"

"Wait a sec." I cut Yoh off. "Where's Amidamaru?"

It was only when we reached Yoh's hospital room when finally learned of Amidamaru's fate. He was tied in place by Anna's _itako_ beads and guarded by Anna's _mochirei_ Zenki and Kouki. Amidamaru had already given up trying to run away, and burst in tears when Yoh and I walked into the room.

"You're late." was all Anna said. "I tied up the ghost of your samurai so you won't run away."

__

"Yoh-dono!" Amidamaru cried his second tears of joy for today. _"Who is this she-devil?"_

"Anna, what did you have to do that for!" Yoh shouted at Anna, slightly angry. "You didn't have to do this! I won't run away!"

"Pft, don't try to act so high and mighty when you're weak." Anna replied coolly.

"Me, weak? I don't know what plans you have for me in store, but I have my own ways of doing things! So just leave me alone!"

Anna glared at Yoh and came directly up to him, her face inches away from Yoh. "You… want to die?" 

"What? What are you talking abou-"

"If that Ren tries to attack you again," Anna cut Yoh off mid-sentence. "There is no way you can conveniently be at hundred percent fusion capacity like last time."

"Wha-" Yoh's mouth was hanging wide open. "How did you know about him and me…?"

"I already told you I know everything about you, don't make me say it again. I'm telling you that you can't win as you stand right now. Besides," Anna suddenly turned her back against the rest of us, staring out of the window and beyond. "If you're going against the Shamans from all around the world, you becoming the Shaman King is just a faraway dream."

__

"The world…?" Amidamaru questioned.

"Wait a second!" I butted in. "What do you mean 'from all around the world'? Does this have anything with reasons as to why Ren came to Japan?"

Yoh suddenly looked as if the truth stared him right in the face. "Can it be…?"

"That's right. Just when everyone had forgotten the existence of a Great Spirit and the world started to fall into chaos… the time has finally come" Anna turned around and faced Yoh once more. "All the Shamans gather in one place to fight over the King of Spirits and become the savior of the world: Shaman Fight in Tokyo."

I simply stood there, dumbfounded. "S-Shaman Fight? In Tokyo?" I started to laugh. "Ha, _hahaha!_ What's that? Is it some kind of tournament? Besides, why in Tokyo when there's plenty of other…"

Both Zenki and Kouki suddenly materialized in front of me. It was clear from the looks on their demonic faces that they were threatening to bash me with their shield and axe if I dared insult their master. I decided to smarten up and shut my mouth.

"This is serious." Anna explained. "The Shaman Fight takes place in the most chaotic city in that era, because every time a savior is born from that city. That is why there are already plenty of Shamans from around the world already in Tokyo, dreaming of becoming the Shaman king along with their prized _mochrei_."

__

"I see… so that man Ren was one of the many Shamans that were already here." Amidamaru said in an understanding tone. _"It is hard to believe… but if that were true it would make sense as to why Ren assaulted Yoh-dono… so that was a Shaman Fight…"_

Anna nodded. "That's right. And Yoh." Yoh straightened when he heard his name. "In order for you to survive this fight you have to get off of your lazy butt and start training for real. Summer vacation is going to start soon, so it's a perfect opportunity for you. After all, I'm the woman who's going to become the First Lady of the Shaman World. If you're going to become my husband you better become the Shaman King. And after that, you'll make me lead a life of comfort."

"Y-Yes Anna…" Yoh surrendered.

I suddenly realized that this Anna's only objective was to live a life of comfort! She was a horrible wife! She was going to make Yoh do all that work just because she wants to lead a comfortable life?

"Now know this, Yoh. I also plan to join the Shaman Fight." Anna announced.

__

"What!?" Yoh and I both exclaimed.

"Why do you look so surprised? I have to watch over your fights, but I don't intend to sit in the sidelines like some poor helpless girl. And think of this as a warning."

"W-Warning?" Yoh took a step back, afraid of his own fiancée.

"Yes. If you _dare_ lose, I'll become the Shaman King myself, and I'll make you my personal slave and make your life a miserable living hell. _Understand?_"

"Y-Yes Anna." Yoh bowed his head in shame.

"And you." she pointed her finger at me.

"Eep!" I jumped a few feet up in the air, startled out of my wits.

"You said you were a Shaman. Where's your _mochirei_?" she questioned me.

"I… I'm still a training to become a Shaman." I managed to reply despite the fear. "I don't have a _mochirei_ yet…"

"Then I'll train you as well." she announced her intentions suddenly. "You can be Yoh's training partner, and I'll personally see to it that you'll be trained sufficiently enough to become a Shaman. Besides, you'll be useful in weeding out the competition."

"_Weeding out the competition!?_" I shouted in disbelief. "Just wait a moment! I didn't say I'm going to join the Shaman Fight! Why do I have to…"

Before I knew what happened, I had Zenki and Kouki surrounding me. Anna stood up and walked right up, readying her hand to slap me again. "Okay! I'll join!" I shouted out in fear, fearing of what might happen to me if I dare refused her offer.

"Much better." Anna smiled.

Oh geez, just what have I gotten myself into!?

***

I used to be an atheist, and didn't believe in god, much less believed in the existence of hell. But now, I was sure that hell existed in this world. 

And that hell existed in Anna's 'special training course'. 

She made Yoh and I run around the track so many times, even a pro-athlete will beg for mercy. But we didn't have a choice, especially so because Zenki and Kouki were chasing us with their shields and axes, having received orders from Anna to beat us up if we dared to slow down and stop. Although Yoh and I thought that Zenki and Kouki were simply ghosts and couldn't physically harm us, one training session ended in me bashed into the tree with Zenki's shield and Yoh hit across the field like a baseball with Kouki's axe just because we rested for six seconds. Although it puzzled us as to how they were able to do that, we just assumed it was because we were getting stronger as Shamans. At least, I hoped that was the case. Whatever the reason, we sure didn't slack off anymore afterwards.

But the hell didn't end there. She made us do shopping, the laundry, cooking, and made us her personal butlers. Her physical torments didn't end there – she made us do push-ups, sit-ups, weights, tree-climbing. There even was the 'electric chair', Anna's very own training strategy where we sit on chairs except there are no chairs to sit on, yet we have to keep up the sitting posture of hours and hours. And to top it off we had to do this for at least eighteen hours a day straight and she only gave us six hours of sleep per day, it didn't take long for our spirits to break. 

Of course, Anna didn't care. Whenever we complained, she simply didn't even give us time to sleep. Truly, it was hell. It was a miracle that Mother believed my made-up story that I was simply going to the gym to train for physical endurance. Thank god for ignorant mothers.

So when summer vacation ended Yoh and I both rejoiced. School was heaven compared to the torments we went through during the entire summer vacation. But, now that we went to hell and back, there was one thing that disappointed me.

I still wasn't a Shaman.

"Pathetic." I remembered Anna saying to me. "Even with all the training I gave you, you still can't fuse your soul with ghosts. Even the most normal person by now would've awakened their Shaman powers if they get through my training course. But you, you're a hopeless case."

What a major put down.

But it was Yoh who cheered me up. "Don't worry about it, Manta! You'll become a Shaman someday! If you got through Anna's training course alive you'll definitely become a Shaman! Your Shaman powers just need to be jolted awake!"

"But I've got through Anna's training course and it _still_ hasn't been jolted awake!" I shouted at Yoh. "How else can it be awakened if Anna's training course doesn't!?"

To my question, Yoh had simply shrugged.

Whatever the results, the fact was that we got through the training alive. I woke up early that morning and headed straight for school, massaging my muscles as I went. They were still sore from all the training Anna forced upon us. It even left me with lots of small scars all around my body.

I entered the classroom, and spotted Yoh resting lazily over the desk.

"Hey." I greeted Yoh.

"Hey." he replied. Both of us were still tired.

I sat down next to him. "You don't look too good."

Yoh managed a small laugh. "You don't either."

Both of us laughed at the exchange, the pain of the training temporarily forgotten.

"Hey Yoh, I wanted to ask you something." I asked once the laugher died down.

"What?"

"What was the training for?"

Yoh looked at me as if I were crazy, but then soon flashed a smile. "Ah, so Anna trained you without even telling you what it was for? How typical of her." he chuckled. "It was in order for us to gain stamina."

"Stamina?"

"You see, when I for instance fuse my soul with Amidamaru, my body's the actual thing that's fighting. So, in order to really trace the ghost's movements a hundred percent, you actually need to have decent muscles and stamina. That way, we can actually fight longer with our spirits fused and can withstand some damage."

"So, it's for real then? The Shaman Fight in Tokyo?"

Yoh nodded. "Yup. I'm sorry to have you involved in this, Manta."

"It's alright." I sighed. "I just need to become a Shaman before the Shaman Fight starts or else Anna's gonna kill me."

Yoh chuckled. "Yeah, well, at the very least, we're free from that hell once and for all."

"You think it's over? Both of you, the 'electric chair' for the rest of the day."

Yoh nodded. "Yup, the hell like that."

I laughed. "Yeah, she really is a demon…"

Suddenly, we both realized that the voice didn't belong to both of us. We turned around only to see our object of fear standing right behind us in a school uniform.

"Ahem." the Teacher in front of the classroom gathered our attention. "I know this is all of a sudden, but another transfer student has arrived. She came all the way from Aomori's Shimokita. Please give a warm welcome to Anna Kyomama."

"I'm pleased to meet you all." Anna smiled sweetly in front of the class.

Heaven for us didn't exist anymore.

***

__

"Fufufufu… I'm surprised that you made it this far. But this will be your grave. So die regretting that you even dared to resist against us, Pyron!"

"Don't be ridiculous…!" the actor on the movie screen clenched his fists in anger. _"Feel my anger!"_

What followed afterwards was one of the best-choreographed kung fu action scenes ever. Lee Pyron, the hero of the movie, used his kung fu and _nunchaku_ to defeat a hundred men armed to the teeth with various sharp, pointy objects. The scene reached its climax when Pyron jumped up into the air a deliver a vicious kick to the boss of the gang.

"Ah~! So cool!" Yoh shouted. I tried to warn Yoh not to speak in the Movie Theater but it was too late. Anna gave her a vicious kick to Yoh's face and the Movie Theater was quiet once more.

Today, Anna gave us a surprising treat – she got some movie tickets to watch a movie of Lee Pyron – the legendary action and movie star. After I dragged Yoh's knocked out body out of the Movie Theater, we all sat on a table not too far away from the concession stands.

"Lee Pyron was great!" I said, rather enthusiastic. "In order to pursue his own justice, he stands up to the great evil armed only with his kung fu! That strength, that impact! No wonder he's a legend" 

"Ah, so he's called Lee Pyron?" Yoh asked, finally awake.

"What, Yoh-kun, you don't know? He was truly a legend in his own time, dominating the screens with his super action and his original acting style."

"Wow!" 

"But that's not all!" I continued. "The greatest thing is that his strength is actually not fiction?"

"What, he isn't strong because it's a movie?" Yoh was clearly interested now.

"The kung fu style he created, the _Daodandou_, is the strongest martial arts style in the world! It's a mix of boxing, _muetai_, and karate and its style specializes in grand one-hit kill techniques. His techniques are said to be as strong as missiles! But…" I then lowered my voice and added a hint of sadness. "Lee Pyron died a mysterious death before he ever got to master his _Daodandou_ style when he was at a young age of thirty. There were many theories as to why he died, but to this day it is still unknown. And to top it off, his deceased body disappeared during the funeral!"

"Geez, Manta, how come you know so much about martial arts?" You asked me as he scratched his head.

"It's obvious." Anna replied before me. "He's weak, so he worships the strong. The feeling only gets the stronger if the person who worships is weaker."

Another put down. I shrunk back to the corner, depressed.

__

"No, no, Anna-dono!" I heard Amidamaru try to help me. _"All men worship the strong. Even I would like to have a match with that Lee Pyron._"

"Swords are no match for kung fu like that, idiot."

Amidamaru soon joined me in being depressed.

"But it's strange." Anna said to herself as we walked out of the theater as Yoh tried to cheer us up. "Why was an invitation sent to us to watch an old movie like 'Pyron – Anger of the Fist'?" 

"Huh? Didn't the tickets say it was for the Pyron's revival campaign?" I asked.

"It's too suspicious." Anna concluded. "Besides, there's no return address. We only came because it was free, but…"

"It's probably because Manta's a big fan of Pyron!" Yoh theorized. Anna and I were about to give Yoh another scolding for being so ignorant of things when a mysterious voice called to us.

"Fufufu… it seems like you enjoyed my Lee Pyron's movie, didn't you? How was he? He was strong, wasn't he? Yoh Asakura and Manta Oyamada-kun?"

We all turned to face the source of the voice. "Who are you?" Yoh demanded.

The voice belonged to a woman, probably a few years older than Anna. She wore a long, black Chinese dress with a long opening that stretched from the bottom of her dress to her hip. Her green hair was tied back with a few hair clips, and she had a panda logo written on the chest and a dragon wrapping up her lower parts of the dress. She had her arms crossed in front of her. "I am a _doushi_, Jun Tao. I came to you to ask you a favor, Yoh Asakura-kun."

"A _doushi?_" Yoh asked, obviously confused. "A favor?"

She nodded. "Will you hand over the spirit of your Samurai for my lovely brother, Ren?"

All of us were suddenly on alert now. "Ren!?"

Jun sighed. "Please, not so loud. I don't like to cause trouble. That's why I wanted you to see the movie… besides, if you know about his strength, then we don't have to fight meaningless battles, wouldn't we?" she then parted the opening on her dress slightly to reveal her legs and several pieces of paper wrapped around it.

"His strength…?" Anna asked. Suddenly, her face because rigid. "That's… a _jufu!_ Could a _doushi _be… _stand back, Yoh!_" Anna shouted, a rare reaction for someone like her. "She's a Shaman! And she has a dangerous monster with her!"

"M-Monster!?" Yoh did as he was told and took a step back.

"Hmm… seems like you figured it out." said Jun, impressed. "A _doushi_ is one of the many Shamans that exists in the grand history of our China! Their technique is to manipulate their ghosts using their _jufu_ – a paper infused with our Shaman magic! Come out now, my warrior, _Lee Pyron!_"

An explosion sounded, and all of us were thrown backwards. It didn't take long for the smoke to clear. And there, standing in the midst of the rubble, was the hero that I've worshipped for so long… _the real Lee Pyron!_

"…no way!" Yoh shouted in disbelief

"W-Wait a second!" I shouted, equally at disbelief. "That's not a ghost, that's a real body! Didn't he die!?"

"That's a dead body, all right." said Anna. "Except it's a _kyonshi_ – a dead puppet manipulated by that woman's _jufu_."

"Oh, you know a lot, don't you?" Jun commented. "That's right… Lee Pyron is my _mochirei_. _Doushi_ like us manipulate our ghosts by putting their souls in their own bodies. Since the body the fuse with is their very own, they can constantly be at hundred percent fusion capacity. This means that this _kyonshi_ here is the very same Lee Pyron when he was alive. He is the ultimate dead weapon our Tao family has ever acquired."

"Shut up." Yoh slowly stood up. "Weapon? Acquire? You treat ghosts as tools too?"

"That's besides the point." Jun replied, annoyed. "I've shown you what I'm capable of. So be smart and give up your samurai ghost now."

"Shut up." Yoh replied, anger clearly visible in his voice. Amidamaru came up besides him, prepared to fuse with Yoh at a moment's notice. Yoh grabbed a nearby metal pipe and pointed it at the female _doushi_. "I don't intend to give Amidamaru up to anyone, especially to the likes of you people!" 

Jun narrowed her eyes. "I see… so it seems that we have to fight. Very well! I'll resort to force! _Attach the juzu of fighting!_" Jun threw one of her many _juzu's_ to Pyron and attached it on his forehead. "Pyron! Teach that boy a lesson!"

"Like I'll let you!" Yoh dashed towards the dead Lee Pyron. "_SPIRIT FUSION! AMIDAMARU!"_

"Great!" Anna commented. "Only 1.5 seconds until the fusion process was completed! The training has paid off!"

"Pathetic!" Jun declared. "Pyron is the strongest kung fu master ever to walk on this Earth! He can already see through petty techniques of a mere samurai!" Suddenly, Pyron made his move. Taking the _nunchaku_ – two small wooden sticks that was attached in the middle with a chain – which was attached to his back. He handled the _nunchaku_ masterfully and before everyone's eyes Yoh's metal pipe was taken away from his hand.

Yoh/Amidamaru looked at their empty hands. "The sword…!"

"Samurais are nothing without a sword… my Pyron is invincible! Know this in exchange for your death!" Pyron charged at Yoh/Amidamaru, giving them a solid punch in their chest that knocked the breath out of them. It was only because Pyron grabbed Yoh's shirt he didn't go flying into the air.

"Yoh-kun!" I shouted out of worry. Yoh seemed to be struggling to get out of Pyron's grasp, but unsuccessful.

"Hmph, you see?" Jun told Yoh who was now hanging upside-down. "You cannot win against me. You probably already know this, but I'll tell you this once more. In order to get a _mochirei_ from another Shaman, there are two ways: either the Shaman gives it up willingly or attack the Shaman until them become immobile and then forcibly take it away from them. So that means, in the end, I'll have to kill you. Now, if you understand, give up your samurai, or else…"

"Shut up." Yoh hissed through his teeth, still struggling. "I won't give up Amidamaru."

Jun sighed. "I see… so you want to die. Then I have no choice." Jun bit her thumb, a thin trail of blood trekking down her fingers. Before I even noticed just how wrong her actions were, she took out a empty _jufu_ and started to write ancient Chinese runic words on the _jufu_, infusing it with her Shaman powers! "Pyron!" she threw the _jufu_ at her _mochirei_ and aimed it at his head. "Attack him until he dies!"

When the _jufu _on Pyron's head was replaced, I could've sworn his eyes had flashed. But the Pyron I knew was no more. Pyron's body threw Yoh high up into the air and followed him into the air with his incredible jump. "Once that _jufu_ is attached to a _kyonshi_ it will not stop attacking until that enemy dies!" Jun boasted.

Pyron, as if on cue, started his chain of attacks.

__

"Daodandou – Fojankyaku!" Pyron, true to his kung fu style, gave Yoh one of the most vicious kicks in the _Daodandou_ style of techniques, its power that was said to equal a rocket! The kick threw Yoh even higher up into the air.

"Ah, but he withstood it!" I observed. It was true. Yoh managed to cross his arms in front of him to soften the damaging blow.

But the female Chinese Shaman didn't look bothered at all. "Ha, you think it's over!?"

Unfortunately, it was true. Pyron's attacks didn't end there. 

__

"Zouji-Daodankyaku!"

Pryon somehow soured above Yoh, and delivered another powerful kick that sent Yoh this time flying straight down. If it weren't for the garbage that acted as a cushion when he crashed into the ground, Yoh would've been splattered on the pavement floor like a suicide victim. Yoh desperately struggled to get up and avoid the next blow, but he was too slow.

__

"Fuuchunbonjyagii – Hongyakyaku!"

Pyron came down on the ground, spinning his entire body. Using the added acceleration, Pryon gave yet another vicious kick straight into Yoh's face.

"T-This guy… he's really strong…" Yoh managed to say before he finally lost consciousness.

"Yoh-kun!" I ran to Yoh. I shook him, trying to wake him up. "Are you all right? Hey, come on! Wake up! Wake up!"

"It's useless." Jun stood behind me. I froze. "There isn't a single person who got up after Pyron's attacks. Good thing he lost consciousness before I killed him. I just need to steal his ghost in the meantime and my job's done." She glared at me, killer intent in her eyes. "So move. Do you want to die as well?"

"N-No!" I stood my ground, although my legs were shaking in fear. "It's just not fair! No way can Yoh-kun win against _that_ Lee Pyron without a weapon! And you take advantage of that! B-Besides…" I gulped. "I thought Lee Pyron was a protector of justice! He was my hero!" I was sobbing by now. "So why…?"

"That's because Lee Pyron is manipulated by that woman." Anna suddenly spoke up behind my back.

"Manipulated…?"

"You saw it too, right? That _jufu _attached to his forehead. Using the power of that _jufu_, _doushi_ can manipulate dead bodies at will. I heard it from Kino-sensei once. That's called the _chousi-soushijutsu_, and it is a technique developed by ancient Chinese Shamans in order to manipulate dead bodies. There are lots of different types of _jufu_, and can program specific commands to the dead bodies they are manipulating." Anna glared at Jun, the subject of the discussion. "So the bad one isn't Lee Pyron, but it's that woman!"

"No…" I stared at Jun and Lee Pyron, wide-eyed. "Then Pyron isn't doing this at his own will… but is simply being used by her…?"

"So what? For us Shamans, ghosts are 'tools' in order to draw their attributes from, nothing more." Jun said the exact same thing as Ren. "All members of the Tao family are given their own _mochirei_ for us to dominate when they are young in order to become great Shamans."

My eyes grew wider. "Then… then Pyron was…!"

"Yes. Pyron was killed by my parents in order to be given to me as the best birthday present." Jun said it coolly as my worst fears were confirmed.

"No… that's just too… cruel!" I sunk down to my knees. "The Pyron I idolized… killed for a reason like that… that… that's just too cruel!"

"Hmph. There's nothing to be sad about." Jun said it were eyes closed. "Pyron is my doll. Dolls do not have emotions."

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no ghosts that doesn't have emotions!" A voice from below declared. I turned around.

"Yoh-kun! You woke up!"

"Heh, I can take quite a bit of punishment thanks to someone's training this summer." Yoh laughed. Anna simply snickered behind us. 

"No way!" said a surprised Jun Tao. "There's no way a person can stand up again after receiving Pyron's attacks!" 

"Oh, it hurt all right." Yoh rubbed his cheek where he received the last blow. "I almost threw up. But against Amidamaru and me, attacks with doubt in them doesn't work."

"Doubt?"

"That's right." Yoh replied to Jun's question as he picked up the metal pipe he dropped. "Even through he might be manipulated physically with your _jufu_, you can't manipulate his heart. Isn't that right, Lee Pyron?"

Everyone turned his or her attention to the manipulated dead body. And behind the _jufu_ that was attached to his forehead, Lee Pyron was shedding tears!

"No way!" Jun was now shouting. "There is no way a _kyonshi_ can ever have emotions… so why? Can it… no, that can't be!" Jun turned towards Pyron. "What are you doing, Pyron!? He's not dead yet! Hurry up and finish him off! _Now!_"

Pyron seemed to attempt to refuse the order, but the power of the _jufu_ was simply too strong for him to control. Shouting his battle cry, he charged at Yoh and I with his _nunchaku_. I was tempted to run away and scream like a girl, but I held my ground and bit my lip. I can't run away here! Pyron needed to be saved!

"Heh, just you wait, Lee Pyron…" Yoh muttered besides me as Yoh purposely let the _nunchaku_ wrap around his wrist. "I'll take that _jufu_ off of your forehead, and free your soul."

"Free my Lee Pyron's soul, you say?" Jun laughed. "How stupid! Don't you realize that that's impossible by now?"

But Yoh continued to stand his ground. "We'll see soon enough." he said. "I've sealed the movements of the _nunchaku_. Now he can't take away my sword. Now all I need is to take that _jufu_ off of his forehead and then he'll be free of your control!" Yoh then fused his soul with Amidamaru in a flash and attempted to swipe at Pyron's forehead.

"Like I said, that's impossible!" Jun insisted. "My _mochirei_ is the legendary kung fu master, Lee Pyron! And kung fu's advantages lie in close combat! And if you enter his territory, he is the master!" And as if to prove the point, Pyron reacted suddenly and gave Yoh/Amidamaru a knee jab that stopped their attack.

"Ha! You see, it _is _impossible!" Jun said it happily. "So just give it up now and give me your samurai spirit!" Another hit from the _nunchaku_ sent Yoh flying into the pile of garbage again.

"Yoh-kun!" I stood there, helpless. "Argh, if I was a Shaman myself I could help him!" Then I suddenly remembered that there was another Shaman present here besides Yoh. "Anna-san! Can't you use your _itako_ powers to save Yoh!? You're the only one that can…"

"I don't have any intentions of saving him." she replied simply. 

I was stunned temporarily. "What?"

Anna crossed her arms in front of her. "This is simply a test – one of he many tests in order for Yoh to become the Shaman King. If he loses against an opponent like that there's no way he can become one. I don't have any plans of marrying a weakling that doesn't have any hope for the future."

I was lost for words. "But… but…"

She sighed. "But then again, I'm still here because I believe that Yoh can actually do it."

"Huh?"

__

"Ugh… such speed!" Amidamaru appeared behind Yoh, looking tired. _"I am sorry, Yoh-dono! If I possessed an actual sword then I can manage but not with a simple metal pipe…"_

I turned to Amidamaru. "An actual sword? Then you could…?"

**__**

To be continued…

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

__

Author's notes:

Yes, I do realize that I've left the fic at a very awkward moment. Argh, I haven't even got to the point where Manta's mochirei makes an appearance! There is a good reason for this, however. University. I start tomorrow. And I have to pack away this computer and unpack it at the residence I'm going to live in starting tomorrow. The problem is, tho, that I'm not allowed to bring my Shaman King manga with me! ARGH~!

I've got the ending of this chapter pretty much inside my head, so I can probably finish it very soon, probably within 3 to 4 days. The problem is, of course, I won't be able to update as much because the manga I base this work on is not going to be around me anymore. The only time I do get to read my manga and actually work on it full-time is when I go back to my parent's house once every month… sigh. I could try to write this fic with my memory of the manga alone, but I fear the quality's gonna drop significantly. So, I will probably keep on writing the basic ideas of the story on my notebook or something, then when I go home to my parent's house once every month, I'll give you guys lotsa chapters to read after I compare the fic to the manga and edit the fic. Sound okay?

Now, an explanation about Anna's mochirei and her intentions of joining the Shaman Fight. Yes, Anna does indeed at this point already have Zenki and Kouki as her mochirei, the demons Hao once had a thousand years ago who were protecting the Chou-Senjiryakketsu. 

I did this because she plans to join the Shaman Fight, and fighting without mochirei in a Shaman Fight is… well… not cool. Actually Anna already has Chou-Senjiryakketsu mastered at this point, making her uber powerful than ever before and can whoop Yoh and Manta's butt any day (finally this fic is becoming a lot more AU, don't you think? XD). 

Anyway, Anna also already knows about the existence of Hao and the fate of the Asakuras, but Yoh does not (poor Yoh). Anna will only teach Yoh and Manta the secrets of the Chou-Senjiryakketsu when they think they're powerful enough to be taught (and you know Anna, her standards are really set high). 

Now, I made her join the Shaman Fight because of one reason: since Manta's joining the Shaman Fight as well. When Manta makes as far as the Shaman Fight tournament, he's going to have to join a team (actually, create a team, since he's gonna be the leader). I really suck at OC characters, so I simply made Anna participate in the Shaman Fight so Manta can have a teammate. Ah, and guess what Manta's team name's gonna be? That's right! Killer Angels! Now the title actually makes sense!

By the way, Anna will not be joining Manta's team, but will be joining Yoh's. Anna's not gonna join a team led by a shrimp like Manta – her personality won't ever allow that to happen – so either Faust or Ryu will be joining Manta's team. As for which one will be joining, you just gotta wait and find out! 

As for the third member of Manta's team… a small hint – its someone who's not participating in the Shaman Fight in the original Shaman King manga/anime, but will be participating in this fic.

Jumper Prime – Thanks for your review! Well, as you can see from the fic thus far, yup, Anna's gonna train Manta. Poor, poor Manta. Having to go through such hell. By the way, Bokutou no Ryu is Ryu. You know, the guy with the wooden sword and that super funky hairdo and wears clothing suited for people like Elvis? Yup, that's him. And no, Lee Bailong (Lee Pyron in this fic) will not be Manta's mochirei. You'll soon find out soon enough who they (yes, 'they', so there's more than one) are. Just re-read this chapter when the summary says "Chapter III Finished!"

Chibi Team Rocket – *coughs from almost being choked to death by Chibi Team Rocket's hug* Well, thanks for reviewing again! Ah, and about the upcoming Faust fight (which will be happening much, much later in this fic), I'll make one significant change: Yoh will not be fighting that fight. Someone else will. As to who might that be… well… hehehe… *laughs mysteriously* Oh, and his parents? Well, it'll be Manta's who'll be in for a surprise…

Love Small!

-Nes Mikel

****

UPDATE (10/28/03)

Yes, I did say 'in a few days'. But it obviously hasn't come to that. Well folks, it looks like this fic won't be updated for a long, long time. The manga I so desperately need, I do not have. Thus, I cannot continue. However, this doesn't mean I gave up on it. It is just 'on hold', and so that will mean that I will return to it someday. It's just that I have absolutely no idea when that will be. So don't expect anything for a long, long time.

My apologizes.

Love Small!

- Nes Mikel


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